Indian journalists attacked while covering hospital violence

Several
journalists were attacked in an altercation with doctors and medical interns outside
the Agartala Government Medical College in the state of Tripura on April 5,
2013, according to news reports. The
journalists had arrived on the scene to cover allegations by family members of
a patient who the relatives said had died of improper treatment, the reports
said.

News
reports citing
police said the hospital staff vandalized property in and outside the hospital
along with attacking several people,including
relatives of the deceased patient. At least 27 individuals, including nine photographers,
were injured, news reports said. Four of them, including photojournalist
Ramakanta Dey, were taken to a private hospital for severe injuries, according
to The Hindu.

Police
and paramilitary forces arrived at the scene and stopped further attacks,
reports said.

On
April 7, 2013, police arrested three freelance journalists based on complaints
filed by doctors and medical interns who alleged the journalists had manhandled
the hospital staff and damaged government property. One of the journalists in
custody, whose name was not immediately disclosed in news reports, was granted
bail. The others, Chintu Debbarma and Tapesh Debnath, were released on bail,
reports said.

Police
also arrested an intern-doctor and three medical students in connection with
the violence, reports said. News accounts
reported that doctors and medical interns denied allegations that they had
attacked journalists or relatives of the deceased patient.

The
Tripura state government has ordered an investigation into the incident, news
reports said.